Accelerometer sensor arrangement for fifth wheel hitch assembly

Abstract

A fifth wheel hitch assembly includes a fifth wheel hitch plate having a body portion and a pair of extensions extending outwardly from the body portion, wherein the extensions cooperate to form a throat therebetween, a locking arrangement moveable between an unlocked position where a kingpin may be moved into and out of the throat, and a locked position where the kingpin is prevented from being removed from within the throat, and a sensor arrangement that includes at least one sensor located within at least one component of the locking arrangement, wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer configured to sense vibrational movement of the at least one component of the locking arrangement.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A fifth wheel hitch assembly, comprising:
 a fifth wheel hitch plate having a body portion and a pair of extensions extending outwardly from the body portion, wherein the extensions cooperate to form a throat therebetween; 
 a locking arrangement moveable between an unlocked position where a kingpin may be moved into and out of the throat, and a locked position where the kingpin is prevented from being removed from within the throat; and 
 a sensor arrangement that includes at least one sensor located within at least one component of the locking arrangement, wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer configured to sense vibrational movement of the at least one component of the locking arrangement. 
 
     
     
       2. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one component of the locking arrangement includes a first locking jaw configured to abut the kingpin. 
     
     
       3. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the locking jaw includes a first end pivotably coupled to the fifth wheel hitch plate and a second end, and wherein the at least one sensor is located proximate the second end of the locking jaw. 
     
     
       4. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the locking arrangement comprises the first locking jaw and a second locking jaw where the first and second locking jaws cooperate to prevent the kingpin from being removed from within the throat when in the locked position, and wherein the at least one sensor includes a first sensor located in the first locking jaw and a second sensor located in the second locking jaw. 
     
     
       5. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a third sensor located in the first locking jaw and a fourth sensor located in the second locking jaw. 
     
     
       6. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one component of the locking arrangement includes a first pivot pin pivotably coupling a first locking jaw to the fifth wheel hitch plate. 
     
     
       7. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a first sensor located in the first pivot pin and a second sensor located in the first locking jaw. 
     
     
       8. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the locking arrangement includes a second locking jaw that cooperates with the first locking jaw to prevent the kingpin from being removed from within the throat when in the locked position, and wherein at least one sensor further includes a third sensor located in the second locking jaw. 
     
     
       9. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one component further includes a second pivot pin, and wherein the at least one sensor includes a first sensor located within the first pivot pint and a second sensor located within the second pivot pin. 
     
     
       10. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the locking arrangement includes a secondary lock arrangement movable between an engaged position where the secondary lock arrangement prevents the locking arrangement from moving from the locked position to the unlocked position, and an unengaged position where the secondary lock does not prevent the locking arrangement from moving from the locked position to the unlocked position, and wherein the sensor arrangement includes at least another sensor located within a component of the secondary lock arrangement. 
     
     
       11. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the accelerometer is configured to sense an acceleration in a fore-and-aft direction. 
     
     
       12. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the accelerometer is configured to sense an acceleration in a lateral direction. 
     
     
       13. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the accelerometer is configured to sense an acceleration in both a fore-and-aft direction and a lateral direction. 
     
     
       14. The fifth wheel hitch assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller operably coupled with the at least one sensor of the sensor arrangement, wherein the controller is configured to compare baseline vibrational characteristics of the at least one component of the locking arrangement and subsequently sensed vibrational characteristics of the at least one component of the locking arrangement. 
 
     
     
       15. A method for monitory wear of a locking arrangement of a fifth wheel hitch arrangement, comprising:
 providing a fifth wheel hitch plate having a body portion and a pair of extensions extending outwardly from the body portion, wherein the extensions cooperate to form a throat therebetween; 
 providing a locking arrangement moveable between an unlocked position where a kingpin may be moved into and out of the throat, and a locked position where the kingpin is prevented from being removed from within the throat; 
 providing a sensor arrangement that includes at least one sensor located within at least one component of the locking arrangement, wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer configured to sense vibrational movement of the at least one component of the locking arrangement; 
 providing a controller operably coupled with the at least one sensor of the sensor arrangement; 
 sensing a baseline vibrational characteristic of the at least one component and communication the baseline vibrational characteristic with the controller; 
 sensing a subsequent vibrational characteristic of the at least one component and communication the subsequent vibrational characteristic with the controller; and 
 comparing the subsequent vibrational characteristic against the baseline vibrational characteristic within the controller and determining whether a threshold deviation has been met. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 communicating a warning if the threshold deviation has been met. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the warning includes a visual warning. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one component of the locking arrangement includes a first locking jaw configured to abut the kingpin. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the locking jaw includes a first end pivotably coupled to the fifth wheel hitch plate and a second end, and wherein the at least one sensor is located proximate the second end of the locking jaw. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the locking arrangement comprises the first locking jaw and a second locking jaw where the first and second locking jaws cooperate to prevent the kingpin from being removed from within the throat when in the locked position, and wherein the at least one sensor includes a first sensor located in the first locking jaw and second sensor located in the second locking jaw. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a third sensor located in the first locking jaw and a fourth sensor located in the second locking jaw. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one component of the locking arrangement includes a first pivot pin pivotably coupling a first locking jaw to the fifth wheel hitch plate. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a first sensor located in the first pivot pin and a second sensor located in the first locking jaw. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the locking arrangement includes a second locking jaw that cooperates with the first locking jaw to prevent the kingpin from being removed from within the throat when in the locked position, and wherein at least one sensor further includes a third sensor located in the second locking jaw. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one component further includes a second pivot pin, and wherein the at least one sensor includes a first sensor located within the first pivot pint and a second sensor located within the second pivot pin. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the locking arrangement includes a secondary lock arrangement movable between an engaged position where the secondary lock arrangement prevents the locking arrangement from moving from the locked position to the unlocked position, and an unengaged position where the secondary lock does not prevent the locking arrangement from moving from the locked position to the unlocked position, and wherein the sensor arrangement includes at least another sensor located within a component of the secondary lock arrangement. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the accelerometer is configured to sense an acceleration in a fore-and-aft direction. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the accelerometer is configured to sense an acceleration in a lateral direction. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the accelerometer is configured to sense an acceleration in both a fore-and-aft direction and a lateral direction. 
     
     
       30. A locking jaw for a fifth wheel hitch assembly, comprising:
 a first end having a pivot aperture configured to receive a pin therein to pivotably couple the locking jaw to a fifth wheel hitch plate; 
 a second end opposite the first end; 
 an arcuately-shaped engagement surface configured to engage a kingpin; and 
 a sensor arrangement that includes at least one sensor located within the locking jaw, wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer configured to sense vibrational movement of the locking jaw. 
 
     
     
       31. The locking jaw of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a first sensor located proximate the second end. 
     
     
       32. The locking jaw of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a second sensor located proximate the first end of the sensor.